Conn 12m intonation

nick_cunningham · Jul 24, 2008

I have intonation problems with my 1960s Conn 12M (naked lady)
I'm playing a Meyer 8M mouthpiece but get a very flat open C sharp; also the top register is generally sharp, except the D. I've no problem with shank length and tuning.

Pete has mentioned that he had a similar problem, solved with an Otto Link slant signature tone edge. Pete - can you tell me whether it was an old or current design?

Any other suggestions - might I need a mouthpiece with a larger chamber?

Pete Thomas · Jul 25, 2008

It was a post rolled tone holes horn, I don't know the exact year though.

My problem was with a Lawton mouthpiece, putting the Link on solved it. These slant Sigs are now commanding silly money though, but I would imagine a modern link would be OK.

Linky Lee · Jul 25, 2008

I'd get a good old Yamaha 5C on it and see what it does.
It's such a standard mouthpiece that it's going to be a reasonable representation of what the horn is naturally like.

Then you can compare from there.

Get to a shop and try a load of mouthpieces out and see what brings the tuning more in line. The only problem I can see with that is:

If the horn is forcing a mouthpiece choice upon you, you aren't necesarilly going to get on with that mouthpiece as much as something else and therefore wouldn't be getting the full potential out of yourself, the mouthpiece and the horn.

I had an alto I didn't get on with due to a tuning issue on the low D. I spent a lot of time, effort and money trying to sort it out. In the end I went and bought the saxophone that was the easiest for me to play. (Happened to be an old YAS62) Then I had no tuning issues and was free to chose a mouthpiece I could play well and get a preferred sound out of (ended up with a Yanigasawa ebonite)

Pete Thomas · Jul 25, 2008

That's a good point. Whether or not you would end up playing it all the time, a 5C is a really reliable and cheap mouthpiece. If the intonation is still dodgy with that then I'd rethink whether it's the horn or setting up of it.

I have a 5C as a reference mouthpiece (well I did until I lost it)

Pete Thomas · Jul 25, 2008

That's a good point. Whether or not you would end up playing it all the time, a 5C is a really reliable and cheap mouthpiece. If the intonation is still dodgy with that then I'd rethink whether it's the horn or setting up of it.

I have a 5C as a reference mouthpiece (well I did until I lost it)

thomsax · Jul 25, 2008

You could also let a tech lot at your bari. Maybe the sax needs adjustment, set the key-heights. There should be no problem with your Conn 12M together with a Meyer 8M mpc. A medium chamber and .110 tip opening. Nothing extreme, quite common!!

Thomas

nick_cunningham · Jul 27, 2008

Thanks everyone - good advice; I've got hold of a Yamaha 5C, which works much better - the C sharp is in tune and the top register is better too.

Good service (and further fingering and adjustment advice) from wwr.co.uk by the way.

Linky Lee · Jul 28, 2008

sounds like you were struggling with the Meyer then.

Could of possibly been too open for you at the moment. What's the sound like with a 5C? I found there wasn't much to choose between the Yamaha and a few of my favorite mouthpieces.